MLB power rankings Week 14: Yankees, Mariners fall as Astros, Twins, Padres climb
MLB power rankings Week 14
Who is the best MLB team? We’re at the halfway point of the 2024 MLB season, with teams having played at least 80 games. As July arrives, our latest MLB power rankings for Week 15 examine the best and worst MLB teams in 2025.
Let’s dive into our MLB power rankings for Week 14. As always, we’ll provide an analysis of the worst MLB teams on Saturday. Statistics via FanGraphs and ESPN.
MLB power rankings: Worst MLB teams right now
30. Chicago White Sox (30)
29. Oakland Athletics (27)
28. Colorado Rockies (29)
27. Miami Marlins (28)
26. Los Angeles Angels (26)
25. Detroit Tigers (25)
24. Toronto Blue Jays (23)
23. Washington Nationals (24)
22. Chicago Cubs (20)
21. Texas Rangers (21)
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MLB power rankings Week 14: New York Mets soar, Royals drop
20. Cincinnati Reds (16)
The Cincinnati Reds have some of the highest peak moments in MLB, but they are always followed up with stretches when this looks like one of the worst teams in baseball. After opening June with a seven-game winning streak, Cincinnati is now 4-8 since June 15. There will be another winning streak within the next few weeks, but the Reds dig themselves into far too many holes for us to believe they can be consistently solid.
19. San Francisco Giants (15)
At this point, we can’t take away a lot from the San Francisco Giants beating the Cubs as just about every MLB team is doing that right now. What matters is the upcoming Giants schedule with sets against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians. If the Giants are below .500 in July, they might as well be sellers at the MLB trade deadline.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates (19)
Young MLB teams just have to show they can recover. After dropping a series at home to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Pittsburgh Pirates rebounded with a road win in Cincinnati. Fighting for a .500 record isn’t what we expected from Pittsburgh in 2024, but Paul Skenes’ impact on this team is a big reason for the team’s improved play since May.
17. New York Mets (22)
The New York Mets are the hottest team in baseball. In June, New York is tied for the most wins (15) but it is the only team with fewer than seven losses this month. All the kudos have to go to the Mets lineup, which has collectively slashed .290.362/.515 with an MLB-best .877 OPS in June. This roller-coaster ride of a season will eventually send the Mets back down, but this stretch could make them a fascinating club to monitor in July.
16. Arizona Diamondbacks (13)
Facing two of the best MLB teams in 2024 quickly derailed the momentum the Arizona Diamondbacks were building up. Against the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins, the Diamondbacks lineup posted a .199/.255/.319 slash line and its pitchers compiled a 7.10 ERA in 52 innings. COnsidering the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves are looming, things might get worse for the D-Backs.
15. Tampa Bay Rays (18)
The Tampa Bay Rays have to move up our MLB power rankings for Week 14 after series victories over the Pirates, Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners. However, even with the success, the chatter about Tampa Bay operating as sellers at the MLB trade deadline won’t go away. It isn’t necessarily the wrong approach, but it does mean a team with little margin for error will slide in the second half of the season.
14. St. Louis Cardinals (14)
The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of the 10 best MLB teams for a month now. Fans are getting the starting pitching they rarely got to experience last season and the defense certainly isn’t a weakness. The return of Willson Contreras is even bigger news for the Cardinals lineup, which ranks just 16th in OPS (.700) this month with an alarming .299 OBP.
13. Kansas City Royals (9)
It’s starting to feel like the remarkable MLB story that is the Kansas City Royals is drawing to an early close. Kansas City is 10-14 in June, sharing that record with clubs like the Cubs, Rangers and Blue Jays. That’s not the company you want to be in this season. If there’s anything positive that comes out of this ugly June for the Royals, it’s the fact that this will prevent them from being too aggressive on the trade market.
12. Houston Astros (17)
The Houston Astros are coming back. What’s quite remarkable about this recent stretch is that Houston only ranks 12th in runs scored (77) since June 9, but it does rank ninth in OPS. Far more important to Houston, though, is it boasts the fifth-lowest ERA (3.60) in the last 15 games. That’s fueling the 10-5 record and a hot Astros team should be concerning to the rest of the league.
11. San Diego Padres (12)
There’s been quite a bit of volatility from the San Diego Padres in 2024. Still, San Diego is relatively pleased with a lineup that has produced the seventh-most runs scored (84) in the last 17 games, San Diego failed its litmus test against the Philadelphia Phillies, but three wins apiece against the Brewers and Nationals is a nice recovery. If the Padres are aggressive at the MLB trade deadline, this team will get a lot better.
Best MLB teams 2024
10. Boston Red Sox (10)
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The Boston Red Sox are on fire. Since June 9, Boston has the third-most wins (11) in baseball and it’s one of only two clubs with fewer than five losses in the last 16 games. The driving force behind the success right now is the Red Sox lineup, responsible for an .810 OPS with 84 runs scored in the last 16 contests. The in-season turnaround makes the club’s potential MLB trade deadline strategy questionable, however.
9. Seattle Mariners (7)
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Confidence was high for the Seattle Mariners in mid-June after they swept the Texas Rangers and then took the first of a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians. Following that 8-5 victory on June 18, Seattle is 2-8. Poor performances from top arms (4.97 ERA) play a massive role in the slump, but a dreadful Mariners lineup (.193/.272/.336) remains the anchor that prevents Seattle from consistently being one of the best MLB teams in 2024.
8. Minnesota Twins (11)
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The Minnesota Twins lineup is on fire. Since June 9, Minnesota’s entire roster has posted a .320 batting average in 700 plate appearances. Even more impressive is the Twins lineup posting an MLB-leading .536 slugging percentage and .921 OPS over that span. It’s a big reason why Minnesota is 12-5 in its last 17 games, even with the Twins pitching staff (3.95 ERA) being close to league average.
7. Atlanta Braves (8)
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The Atlanta Braves entered the weekend with a .500 record in June. That’s not great by any means, but it’s an improvement over Atlanta recording one of the worst records in May. For those seeking a glimmer of hope in Atlanta, the team boasts the third-lowest ERA (3.39) since June 9 and the Braves lineup has a .702 OPS over that span (17th in MLB). It’s not outstanding, but it’s progress for an injury-plagued ballclub.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (6)
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
The Milwaukee Brewers picked up a much-needed sweep at home against the Rangers, responding after losing a four-game set to San Diego last weekend. There is some concern with the Brewers lineup that has only produced a .245/.326/.349 line this month, with a .675 OPS that ranks 21st in the majors. On the other hand, we know what Milwaukee’s bats are capable of and the pitching (3.49 ERA, 4th in MLB) has been excellent this month. Milwaukee just needs both to come together at the same time to be great.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (5)
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Dodgers have survived injuries to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Max Muncy and Mookie Betts, pushing past the 50-win mark at the halfway point of the MLB season. However, this recent success has come against some of the worst MLB teams. In order for Los Angeles to move back up the MLB power rankings, it needs to beat teams like the Brewers (July 5-7) and the Philadelphia Phillies (July 9-11).
4. New York Yankees (2)
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The New York Yankees were rolling into mid-June, sitting atop the MLB standings with a 50-22 record. Since taking that first game at Fenway Park, the Yankees are 2-8. During that 11-game span, Yankees pitchers had the worst ERA (8.65) in the majors by a significant margin and the Yankees lineup ranked 26th (.645) in OPS. It’s a relatively small sample size, but it should remind the Yankees front office to be aggressive in July.
3. Cleveland Guardians (4)
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Steven Kwan has been phenomenal for the Cleveland Guardians this season. Entering MLB games today, Kwan boasts a .979 OS with 81 hits in 217 at-bats. More impressive is the fact the Guardians are 33-20 (.622 winning percentage) when Kwan is in the lineup. Plus, Cleveland is 23-13 against teams with winning records this season. Imagine how much better the Guardians will be if they add pitching and another bat at the MLB trade deadline.
2. Baltimore Orioles (1)
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Led by Gunnar Henderson, the Baltimore Orioles lineup (.279/.336/.530) has been excellent in June with the second-highest OPS (.866) in the majors. It’s a big reason why Baltimore is tied for the most wins (15) this month, but a 4.01 ERA from the Orioles rotation also explains why they have 11 losses. What matters is the Orioles have the prospects to address their big needs and they are already one of the best MLB teams without adding more talent.
1. Philadelphia Phillies (3)
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The Philadelphia Phillies are the best team in MLB. June hasn’t exactly been kind to the Phillies, with the club recording a 13-10 record this month. However, the Yankees (12-12) haven’t been any better a few of the other best MLB teams have slumped in recent weeks. One thing that remains clear is Philadelphia (.766 OPS in June) needs some more juice in the Phillies lineup, but that help should come in July.
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